Everest Tourism Changed Sherpa Lives

May 17, 2013—The booming tourism industry aimed at putting people on the peak of Mt. Everest has radically changed the lives of Nepal's Sherpas. National Geographic Young Explorer and photographer Max Lowe recently spent two months in Nepal's Khumbu region, documenting some of those changes.

Everest Tourism Changed Sherpa Lives

May 17, 2013—The booming tourism industry aimed at putting people on the peak of Mt. Everest has radically changed the lives of Nepal's Sherpas. National Geographic Young Explorer and photographer Max Lowe recently spent two months in Nepal's Khumbu region, documenting some of those changes.

The Sherpa are one of 70 ethnic groups within Nepal and they migrated over from Tibet. Their name means “Easterner”. So, they came to the mountains and they settled the higher regions of the Himalayas. And, just by chance of living where they have, they’ve become connected to mountain climbing.

The Sherpa culture fundamentally changed in 1953, sixty years ago, when Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary climbed Everest. And at this point, it went from their very rural idyllic lifestyle to one being in the twentieth century, and now the twenty-first century.

Karma Tsering, Former High Altitude Sherpa:

When Hillary summitted Everest he gave the sherpas watches as a bonus. We learned how to tell time using those watches.

Anker: Within the span of three-to-four generations, they’ve gone from a very much agrarian, pastoral society with few things that we take for granted, to a society, now, that has connected with mobile phones, and the internet, and jet travel, and interaction between many more humans.

Max Lowe, National Geographic Young Explorer:

The changes that I saw just in the last ten years were pretty substantial. As far as what people told me they had seen, as far as change, education was a big one; healthcare: there’s a dentist there; there’s medical clinics; the clothing is better. Kancha Sherpa, who, was actually on the 1953 expedition, he was a really interesting guy to talk to. He has seen pretty much the whole field of changes that have occurred.

Kancha Sherpa, Former High Altitude Sherpa:

The change has been good because it has brought wealth. Life now feels a little rushed but the people here earn an income. My only worry is global warming because it doesn’t snow much on the mountain anymore.

Lowe: A lot of the Lamas and people who still are practicing in the region, they really lamented the fact more than anyone else just because people are moving away from the old religious ways of life. And they told me at least that with all this endless self-gain available, people are losing focus on the purity and kind of simple life that they once had. People are losing the ability to focus on true happiness.

The influx of tourism has brought a lot of money into the region. And, with that, a lot of people recognize that they can go much further, as far as advancement, now that they have this connection with the outside world.

[To Mahendra Kathet] I’ve heard… some people in Namche have told me that, many people from Khumjung leave to go live elsewhere in the world. A lot of people from Khumjung go to other countries.

Mahendra Kathet, Head Master, Khumjung School:

Yes. Many people are in the U.S.A., from Khumjung. U.S.A., Europe and Japan.

They are not satisfied with tourism, with the small money from tourism. They want to earn big money. And they want to change their lifestyle. Like being European and American like that.

Max Lowe [Interview]: At the same time a lot of things are getting better in the region. The food is a lot more diverse, so people’s diets are much more healthy. Clothing’s better. Building materials are safer. There’s electricity. There’re cell phones. You can get cell phone reception at Everest base camp now, which is a pretty crazy idea.

Everest Tourism Changed Sherpa Lives

May 17, 2013—The booming tourism industry aimed at putting people on the peak of Mt. Everest has radically changed the lives of Nepal's Sherpas. National Geographic Young Explorer and photographer Max Lowe recently spent two months in Nepal's Khumbu region, documenting some of those changes.